CMS limits ticket sales for some high-profile prep football games. Here’s why
No tickets will be sold at the gate on Friday night for the high-profile high school football game at West Charlotte.
West Charlotte is hosting Independence with a 7 p.m. kickoff. The rivalry game would normally sell out the 4,100-seat stadium, but Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools has limited ticket sales and is not allowing ticket sales at the gate.
A CMS spokesperson told The Observer that 1,050 tickets were sold for the game, with “slightly more tickets being allocated to West Charlotte as the home team.”
CMS will also be implementing this policy — no tickets sold at the gate and a limited number. of pre-sale tickets — for future high-profile games.
Friday’s North Meck at Mallard Creek game is also being played with the ticket cap and limited attendance.
CMS said it’s making this move following some violence at recent games and to prevent anything additional moving forward.
For CMS schools, limiting tickets will have a negative effect on finances and football is usually the financial driver for the athletic department.
With full attendance Friday night, for example, West Charlotte would make more than $25,000 in ticket sales after passes are accounted for. With the limited sales, the school will bring in less than $9,000 and concession sales will be lower as well.
This story was originally published October 3, 2025 at 12:52 PM.
